Act Now, Think Later
by Andciritien
Summary: Connor's been through the mill but he's getting better, becoming more and more like a normal teen boy in fact. So what will happen when he meets the beautiful Rebekkah?


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A/N: This fic is set after the end of season 4, but with some differences. Angel did take Wolfram and Hart's offer, but did not send Connor away. Instead, he sent Connor for therapy for the duration of the summer. Cordelia and Spike do not appear in this fanfic for no specific reason other than they do not aid the story. I would really appreciate any reviews, but please keep them to constructive criticism. No flames, and no calling my character Rebbekah a "Mary Sue" cuz she's not. I do not own any of the characters in this fic except Rebbekah and her family.

Angel looked at the profile of his son. Connor was not looking at him, but was gazing out the window watching the LA streets slip by. Angel's son had grown a lot over this past summer. He was more stable, less prone to jump to conclusions. His long chestnut hair had only gotten longer, and his crystal blue eyes were not as pained as they had once been. Connor had most definitely benefited from his summer of therapy.

The vampire with a soul enjoyed the silence between him and his son. Before, the silence would be an angry one, a bitter hostile one. But now the silence was a comfortable one, and Angel took this to be a good sign.

"So what did you think of the movie Dad?" Connor asked, breaking the comfortable silence when Angel stopped the car at the traffic lights.

They had went out for their weekly father/son bonding activity, which Angel made compulsory after Connor seemed to be reacting to his therapy. This week, Connor had chosen. He had decided that he wanted to go to the movies to see a cult film that was re-running called "Donnie Darko."

"I thought the film was actually quite good. I take it you liked it?" Angel smiled softly. Connor grinned with enthusiasm - the young, carefree person he should be shining through.

"Yeah, I loved it. I think the whole elusiveness of it is incredible." Connor gushed. Angel laughed, knowing that this is what his son, who used to be the king when it came to elusiveness would have enjoyed.

"It was very well done." Angel agreed. He could not describe how happy he was. His son was finally becoming his son. There were no complications, no anger between them now, just a mutual understanding and respect.

They were just pulling up outside the Wolfram and Hart building when their first complication walked into their lives.

I ran, my booted feet falling heavy on the gum-spattered tarmac of LA. I did not usually run from anyone but when it was 12 bloodsuckers all looking to make me their breakfast I would make an exception.

My long red hair blew in my face, temporarily blinding me. I used the hand I was holding my stake with to push it away. The glass building of Wolfram and Hart came into view as I turned the corner. I smiled, destination reached.

But strangely, the building was empty. I shattered the glass doors and ran inside, looking for some assistance. As I ran up the stairs, through all the levels I realised the building was empty.

"Bloody brilliant!" I hissed through my teeth. I reached the 13th level, still being chased by the gang of vamps. I decided it was time to leave, but not until I got a head start. I locked myself in a conference room, and got to work.

I broke the large table into hundreds of pieces, but arranged them so that they pointed at the door. I knew that eventually the vamps would break through it, but then they'd get a nasty surprise.

Sure enough, seconds later the door collapsed inwards. Before the vamps realised what was happening, they all ran into my makeshift stakes and many of them exploded into dust. My job done, I decided to make a speedy exit.

I ran full speed at the large window. It shattered around me and I fell to earth, feet first. I landed on the hood of a black car but managed to keep my balance, just in time to see a vamp landing in front of me.

"Jeez, one with a brain." I muttered. The thing swung at my face, but I flipped backwards off the car. It jumped up to where I had been standing, snarling like a rabid dog. I grabbed its ankles and yanked hard, causing it to crash onto the windshield. I leapt back up onto the car, straddled the thing and drove my wooden stake through its unbeating heart. It disappeared in a pile of dust beneath me, leaving me facing the occupants of the car.

One of them had been the guy I had been looking for; Angel. The other was a pleasant surprise. He was my age, maybe a little older with long hair and gorgeous eyes. They both looked rather shocked. I grinned.

"You must be Angel."

He nodded silently, while his companion stared open-mouthed at me. I brushed my wild hair from my eyes, and smiled again.

"Good. Sorry to drop in on you, but we have a lot to talk about."

"Let me get this straight." Angel muttered, running his hand through his hair. The young girl who introduced herself as Rebekkah was sitting in a leather chair in one of the conference rooms that she did not trash, her Nu-Rock boots resting on the polished table.

"You're a slayer?" Connor asked, coming in and closing the door behind him. Rebekkah nodded.

"Yup."

"How, is Buffy dead?" Angel rubbed his temples, praying it wasn't so. Rebekkah looked up at him from beneath her red curls.

"No. I was activated when she activated all the other potentials. I guess I was one potential they didn't find." She explained. Connor was watching her with awe.

"And you live here in LA?" Angel asked, picking up a phone and dialling.

"Yeah. My parents are the Andertons." She told them, blushing slightly. Angel dropped the phone.

"The Andertons? The software tycoon right?" He repeated. "Well um…that's a surprise. Do they know about your…extra curricular activities?"

"No. I don't strictly have curricular activities either. When I was called, I dropped out of school."

"Oh. Well, Rebekkah if you want to stay here you can. I know it can be hard for a slayer to live with her family." Angel offered. Connor looked at his father, and grinned, pleased that the pretty girl was getting to stay.

"That's really kind of you but…" She began, but Connor interrupted.

"No, you should really stay here. That means you won't put your family in danger. And you can train all you want here." Connor told her. She considered him for a moment.

"Ok, I'll stay. Is there somewhere I can call my parents?" She asked. Angel handed her the phone, and she walked out into the hallway to make the call.

"She's awesome." Connor breathed, already smitten. Angel laughed gently.

"Well it would be good to have a slayer on the team." He admitted.

"Yeah, that too." Connor nodded, not concerned about the team benefits.

"She's a pretty girl." Angel observed.

"Hell yeah." Connor agreed. Angel gently slapped the back of his head.

"Stop cursing. You do realise now that she's part of the team you can't hit on her." Angel teased. Connor looked outraged.

"Hey, that's unfair!" He protested.

"I'll make you sit through a sexual harassment talk, don't think that I wouldn't." Angel joked, trying to keep his face straight.

"Don't care. It'll be worth it." Connor teased back. Angel gave his son a light shove in the back.

"Go show her around. And if I catch you flirting, it's the sexual harassment video for you." Angel warned with a smile. Connor smiled back, and almost ran out the room to catch the pretty young Slayer.

Angel sat on the table; his arms folded and for the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine smile on his lips.


End file.
